The Legend of Zelda Hero of the Golden Goddesses
by Arciadrian
Summary: Centuries after Twilight Princess, Hyrule is overrun by Gerudo, and the race of humans appears, forcing the other races into segregation. After the new human government begins to hunt down all non-humans, Link sets out to awaken the Three Golden Goddesses in the hope that they can put an end to the injustice.
1. One World, One People

**One World, One People**

* * *

_A long time ago, b__efore life began, before the world had form, three golden goddesses descended upon the chaotic land of Hyrule. They were Din, the Goddess of Power, Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, and Farore, the Goddess of Courage._

_Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land to create the earth. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth to give the spirit of law to the world. Farore's rich soul created all life forms who would uphold the law._

_These three great goddesses returned to the heavens, leaving behind the golden sacred Triforce._

_The Triforce was sealed in the Sacred Realm connected to Hyrule. The legends also say that whoever holds the Triforce can make their wishes come true, but only if he has the perfect balance between the three forces: Power, Wisdom, and Courage. If someone without the right balance lays his or her hand on the Triforce, it will split into three pieces. The one touching the Triforce will hold the force that he or she most believes in, and the two other parts will be given to persons chosen by destiny to carry the Triforce part that they represent. The persons who carry the Triforce or a part of it can be recognized by the Triforce symbol on their hands._

* * *

The once proud kingdom of Hyrule has long fallen from it's former grace. No longer ruled by kings and queens, a council of 'humans' rule the people. Many of the former races have interbred, forming a new race, these so called 'humans' more numerous than even the Hylians. Reigning over this council is a single president, one of few survivors of the Royal Family of Hyrule. His daughter, named in the traditions of their lost people, is called Zelda.

Not long after the death of the Hero of Twilight, the race of Gerudos, thought long dead, resurfaced and took Hyrule by force. Ganondorf, the King of Evil, was killed for the last time by the Hero of Twilight, and therefor there was no king to replace him. The Gerudos, a society ruled by women, formed an inner circle of three who ruled their tribe.

The current king of Hyrule, the noble Queen Zelda's son by the Hero of Twilight, was killed in the revolution. King Ralis of the Zoras, and Patriarch Darbus of the Gorons fought against the Gerudos for a time, but were put down. Ralis' daughter Rutiela taking his place. Darbus had no son or heir to take his place, and so the Gorons were thereafter ruled by a council.

Small communities such as Ordon were left alone so long as they pledged fealty to the new order. The Sheikah, newly created under Queen Zelda, went into hiding. Many of the older races, such as the Kokiri, resurfaced but were similarly enslaved.

The Gerudo eventually formed a pact with the other races, which involved many inter-marriages that created the new race of humanity. From this new race came new ideas. The older races were slandered, and racism now dominates much of society. And it was in this new world that Hyrule, now called the Union of Society, reached it's industrial and economical peak.

* * *

Link trudged towards home from School. It was another smog covered day, the sun not visible. But it hadn't rained, and he considered that a bonus. He secretly hated water. His friends, he knew, would tease him for it.

There was only one human school in Hyrule City, and three segregated schools for other races. The Hylian School, the Mixed School, and the Gerudo school. Obviously, the Gerudo school was an all girls school.

Link, of course, went to the Hylian School. Anyone who was more than half Hylian was forced to go to the school. The teachers were second rate, the school itself was broken down and it's budget was terrible.

Link climbed the steps of his apartment building, fumbling for his keys. It was a known haven for crack addicts, but it was a roof over his and his sister's heads. Speaking of his little sister, she was waiting in the kitchen. He tromped in, and threw himself down on the couch. Aryll was digging through the fridge, trying to find a snack. Link sighed, and dragged himself to his feet. He gently pushed Aryll aside, and got out something to make for dinner.

They had been on their own for almost three years. After Link's mother had died, they'd had to move in with their grandmother. Then she'd been shot down, just outside the building. Link had tried to pick up the slack after that. His family had a little money they'd left the two of them, but they had to be very careful, as it wouldn't last forever.

Link cooked silently, as he did almost anything. He didn't talk much. Living where they did, and seeing what he'd seen, had put him off talking to people. Now he only talked to Aryll, his friend Sheik, and his one time girlfriend Saria. Of course, since Saria was a Kokiri, she never grew up, so they'd broken things off before they got too weird.

Aryll smiled in gratitude, and turned on the TV in the living room. Link listened to the evening news as he stirred something in a pot on the stove. He'd never be as good a cook as his mother or grandmother, but he was getting better.

Suddenly, a reporter on the news caught his complete attention. _"Just this evening the Union Council made a radical decision. We take you to Anna in front of Hyrule Castle with the latest. Anna?" _

"_That's right, Fanco. Tonight, the Council passed a new bill, making it nearly impossible for non-humans to get and hold jobs. By extension,it also limits funds to the non-human schools and unions as well. We may be seeing the rise of a new era for non-humans. Back to you, Fanco." _

Aryll walked into the kitchen. Link looked down at the burned sauce, and sighed. He dumped it into the garbage and pulled out some microwavable dinners. Aryll sighed, but smiled in understanding. Link put hers in the microwave first, and then set it on the old kitchen table. Aryll was quiet as she ate, and Link popped his dinner into the microwave and listened to the TV. Another reporter was talking now.

"_Well Fanco, we're unsure of the response the Equality Movement will give. Already, Union soldiers and law enforcement are preparing for riots. In Kokiri Forest and Zora's Domain, fights have already broken out. The nation is, put simply, a powder keg. Our prayers to the Goddess tonight that everything is resolved peacefully" _

Link snorted. That was likely. The last time there had been major riots, they had taken years to finally settle. His mother had died in one of them. And Aryll's father. Link's own father had never been known to anyone but their mother, and she had never told him.

Aryll went off to study. Link sat on the couch watching TV for a while, until at last he fell asleep.

* * *

Link woke up quickly as a loud _crash_ burst into his dreams. He sat bolt upright, and Aryll screamed in her room. Link jumped to his feet, and dashed down the short hallway. He burst into her room, to find her huddled under her blankets, staring out the window. Link sent her a questioning glance, then looked outside.

The street below was pandemonium. Humans, Hylians, Gorons, Zoras, and even a few Kokiri were running about, throwing things, screaming, and attacking random people. One of them glanced up at Link, and with a scream, threw a flaming bottle right at his window.

Link ducked away, and the molotov cocktail smashed against the side of the building with a violent fire-burst. Link stared at Aryll for a moment, then they both ran for the living room. Link grabbed a few things from his room on the way, blankets, and a baseball bat just in case the rioters got into their apartment.

They turned on the TV, and of course the riots were front and center. The reporters in the field were filmed being attacked and otherwise harassed. The military was getting mobilized to stop the demonstrations. The rioting had spread everywhere. In Zora's Domain, the signature waterfall was running with oil and gasoline that the residents had poured down it. In Kokiri Forest, the wooden houses had been set ablaze. In Kakiriko, the graveyard had been dug up and the dead strewn about the town. In Gerudo, the once famed fortress was the center of a siege.

Link and Aryll watched with wide eyes. Eventually, the clamor ended, and a politician appeared on the screen. It was one of the humans, an older looking man. He looked grim.

"_Tonight we have reached a critical point in our history. The riots that have wracked our peaceful nation are at an end, thanks to our gallant military. However, we have no way to prevent this from happening again. Many of us, particularly non-humans, seem to have a hard time under our gentle leadership. And now, that has become dangerous. How can we, your leaders, stand by as they sow havoc and sorrow? We have decided that the time has come for drastic steps." _ He stepped to one side, and a man in a Union Army uniform stepped forward.

"_Thank you, Councilman Terran. In the following days, we will be putting our plan into effect. Non-humans are becoming a threat to the safety of our nation. With the approval of your duly elected council, we will remove that threat, in any way possible. As I speak, the first stages of this plan are being carried out." _

Just then, Link heard screaming down the hall. He was on his feet at once, pulling Aryll to hers. He gripped the baseball bat. And the door imploded.

Three men in Union Military uniforms rushed into the small space. Aryll screamed, and Link swung the bat. It hit the first man square in the side of his head, and he dropped like a rock. The other two pulled out pistols and started shouting at Link to drop the bat.

Link didn't drop the bat.

He went on the offensive, even though he knew he couldn't win. But he couldn't let them take Aryll. The bat knocked one man's gun from his hand, and then struck him in the stomach. He doubled over, and Link kicked him in the face before he could react. The last man stared at Link in horror, then reached out . . . .

. . . . And grabbed Aryll by the arm. He pulled her to him, and directed the gun at her head. "Drop the bat!" Link looked at Aryll, who looked close to hysterics. He dropped the bat.

And then a shadow appeared behind him. Link stared, and the man turned swiftly. The shadow took form, coalescing into a man-like shape. The man pointed the gun at Aryll again, and shouted, "Move! You'll let me pass or the girl dies!"

The dark being inclined his head slightly, and stepped aside. The soldier dragged Aryll out of sight down the hall, and then Link heard him shout, "I need back up down here!"

The dark being moved forward, and Link could see that it was either a human or a Hylian male. He was dressed all in dark blue, with a design like an eye on his chest. It had two tears leaking from the corners. His eyes were red, and the rest of his face was hidden behind a cloth mask. He grabbed Link's hand, despite the boy's protests, and turned to face the door. As more soldiers poured in, he threw something at their feet, and Link was blinded. He felt the dark man pull him backwards, then there was a sensation of falling.

He landed roughly, stumbling to his knees. He looked around, the blindness already fading. The dark warrior stood a few feet away, looking up. The soldiers hadn't come out of the building yet, and the warrior seemed to be satisfied. He looked over at Link, and said softly, "We need to get away from here. It's not safe for non-humans in Hyrule City anymore." Link blinked. He knew that voice.

Before he could ask, the dark warrior grabbed his hand again, and they were running. Link wasn't sure how he managed to keep up, because they ran across rooftops as often as they stayed on the ground. They passed out of the areas Link knew, and into the oldest part of the city.

They at last arrived at an old looking church. It had a faded and defaced Triforce symbol over the double doors, which made Link pause slightly. The old religion, worship of the Three Golden Goddesses, was forbidden. Everyone followed the Goddess of the Sands, following Gerudo traditions. If they worshiped at all.

The dark warrior led Link around to a side entrance. They ducked into the building, and Link was surprised to see it full of people. There weren't many humans here, but plenty of mixed races. A small group of Zoras were huddled together. A pair of Gorons were talking in low voices near the ancient alter. A large group of Deku Scrubs sat in a circle around the large dais in the center of the floor. There was a crowd of Kokiri near the main doors. And Hylians were scattered everywhere.

The dark warrior led Link over to a group of warriors dressed like him. Some were female. All had the same red eyes. The warrior stopped a few feet short, and an older man nodded to him. The warrior who'd escorted Link nodded back, and said, "Veran. I brought him, just as you said. But they took his sister." Link grabbed the warrior by the shoulder, and spun him so they were face to face. The warrior's red eyes flared, but he didn't strike Link.

Link ignored the momentary tightening of the warrior's muscles. "Sheik!" Because of course it was his childhood friend. "What are you doing here? What's going on?"

Sheik pulled his mask down, baring his face. "We're getting people out. Our spies in the Union Council tell us that all non-humans are going to camps. They'll either be killed or forced to work for the rest of their lives. We're gathering as many as we can, trying to get them together and mobilized, in case it leads to a civil war."

Link blinked. It was all moving so fast. "We?"

Sheik shook his head. "The Sheikah. I'm sorry Link, but I've been lying to you for a long time. The Sheikah are still around, just secretly. We've been waiting for our chance to revive Hyrule." Veran and several other Sheikah nodded. "And we have a favor to ask of you, Link."

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "What good can I do in all this? Did you forget? Aryll is still missing! We have to get her back!"

Veran interrupted. "We will do our best, but there are more important things to be taken care of." Link stared at him. The older Sheikah continued, "The Sheikah have long kept the legends and prophecies of Hyrule. This was foretold. The hero would appear, in the midst of turmoil. He would lose one precious to him, and-" He stopped, and went on. "And he will rescue all the land from oppression. He will revive the Three Golden Goddesses, and wielding their power, will bring an end to darkness."

Link took a step back. "And you think it's me?"

Sheik nodded. "There is a test. Follow me. And if you are the hero, I'll accompany you on your quest." He led Link to the alter, and turned to face the crowd. "Listen up! The time has come. I ask for the keys to the Door of Time!"

Three beings came forward. Link's eyes widened. Saria was one of them! She came forward meekly, hands held out to Sheik. Sheik took something from her, placing it in a little hollow on the alter. He turned to a Goron, who handed him another object. Link stepped closer to get a better look. The object from Saria was a huge emerald, so big that Link gasped. The Goron's object was a massive ruby, and the last object, taken from a Zora, was a large sapphire. They all fit perfectly into their little hollows.

Link glanced at Saria, who just shrugged and mouthed, "I'll tell you later." If there was a later. Sheik took out his harmonica, and played a quick melody. It flowed strong and deep through the entire building. Everyone stopped to stare, as the wall behind the alter started to shake. With a loud grinding noise, it split in two, opening like a massive set of doors. A dark passage led deeper into the church. Sheik led the way into this passage, and Link asked, "Okay, what in Goddess' name is going on?"

Sheik glanced at him. "This is one of the oldest buildings in Hyrule. It used to be called the Temple of Time. One of two, actually. The other is gone, but it used to stand deep in the Lost Woods. This one is particularly special. It holds the weapon of the hero." He stopped, and Link saw that they had come to a huge chamber, with windows set high in the walls. Faint light from outside illuminated a central platform, with a sword stabbed deep into a stone pedestal. "The Master Sword."


	2. The Blade of Evil's Bane

**The Blade of Evil's Bane**

* * *

_Long ago, the ancients forged the Master Sword, the fabled Blade of Evil's Bane. It was a pure blade, which evil ones could never touch. It was this blade that the Hero of Time and the Hero of Twilight wielded in battle. Both mighty heroes struck down the dark minions of the King of Evil, Ganondorf. Using the Master Sword and aided by the ancient Sages, the Hero of Time sealed Ganondorf away. _

_The Hero of Twilight, also using the Blade of Evil's Bane, fought the King of Evil on the fields of Hyrule, and with the help of the Princess Zelda, killed the dark King. The Blade was then enshrined in it's traditional home, the Temple of Time, until it was needed once more._

* * *

"And now the time has come for you to use the sword." Sheik nudged Link forward. "Go on. If you're the Hero, you're the only one who can pull the sword from the pedestal." Link stared at him, then at the Sword. With hesitant steps, he crossed the massive chamber, and climbed the steps to stand before the majestic Blade.

It was a beautiful weapon, Link thought. The purple-blue hilt was shaped like the wings of a bird. The handle was wrapped with black leather. Set into the hilt was a glowing golden gem. The Triforce, the symbol of ancient Hyrule, was engraved just below the hilt. Without touching it, Link knew the blade was razor sharp even after so many centuries of disuse.

Link reached out, and just before his fingers touched the handle, a strange voice invaded his mind. It wasn't one voice, but three. Three female voices, speaking in unison.

"_Hero . . . you stand in this sacred place, before the instrument of Hyrule's salvation. The power of this sword is great . . . but as is the price of such power. Do you accept the price of such power?" _The voices were emotionless, and with a quick glance back at Sheik, he realized that the young Sheikah couldn't hear the voices. Sheik motioned with his hands, urging Link to take the Sword.

Link swallowed. This was it. What if he did this, and couldn't pay the price? _Aryll's life is on the line, Link, _he told himself, and he bowed his head. _I accept._

The triple voice responded at once. _"Then take the Blade of Evil's Bane, and rise as the Hero of the Golden Goddesses. Serve us well, and save Hyrule from the darkness that infects it." _Link reached out again, and felt a small nudge in his mind, comforting him, soothing away his fear. He grasped the blade, and with a gentle pull, yanked it free.

At once, light bloomed from the Blade, and a familiar warmth spread through Link's body. He smiled without meaning to, and held the Sword up. It flared brighter, and waves of power surged out, making Link's clothes ripple as if from a gust of wind. He turned to look at Sheik, who was on one knee, an awed look on his face. He bowed his head, and when he rose, there was a huge grin on his face. "I knew it! I knew there was something special about you, Link!"

Link smiled again, and walked back to Sheik. The young Sheikah stared at the vibrant light of the Master Sword, happiness in his red eyes. "This means we can finally make things right. Come on, we have to meet with Veran and the others. They'll know the next step to this quest." Link nodded, and they started back.

Halfway through the passage back to the main room, Link felt a stabbing pain in his head, right behind his eyes. At the same time, a similar pain flared in his left hand. He stumbled, falling into the dust. He would have yelled, but he seemed incapable of making noise. Sheik gave a small shout of surprise, before kneeling anxiously beside the new Hero. Link moaned slightly, and the pain withdrew. Link was about to push himself to his feet when a single voice spoke. A woman's voice, but it surged with power.

"_You must go to the land of the Kokiri, into the Forest. There, you will find the ancient temple to the Goddesses. Enter the temple, and find the power of the Forest. When you have done this, return to the Temple of Time, and you will find the door to the Sacred Realm open. Enter, and you will be shown the way." _The voice faded, leaving only a strange feeling of courage behind. Link had no fear for the journey he had to make. He felt a new certainty. This had to be done.

Sheik helped Link to his feet, a questioning look in his eyes. But Link shook his head. He wasn't ready to share what he'd experienced. They returned to the main room, where the crowd waited silently. But when they saw the Master Sword in Link's hand, they let out a loud cry of joy, and many of them crowded forward. Link held up his hands, not used to the sudden attention he was getting. Luckily, Veran came to his rescue.

The Sheikah raised his voice above the noise. "Link is the Hero of Hyrule, destined to return her to all her former glory!" There was an answering cheer, and Link was a little worried that the soldiers would hear them. Veran continued. "Where he goes on his journey must be known to only a few. I will take my most trusted and counsel the Hero, and then he will depart on his quest!" Another cheer, but Veran had already ushered Link into the passage to the Sword Chamber. A few Sheikah and other assorted races followed, but only a few. Among them were Sheik and Saria.

Veran stopped a little ways down the passage. He turned to Link, and said, "You have quite a journey ahead of you, Hero. The Sheikah will assist you wherever we may. Sheik will accompany you, as your protector. Your first stop must be Kokiri Forest. There, in the Lost Woods, lies the Forest Temple. In order to summon the Goddesses, you must gather the sources of their power, the six Medallions. These were once held by the Hero of Time, but he returned them to the Temples before he disappeared. You must visit each of these Temples, gather the Medallions, and summon the power of the Goddesses."

Link nodded. The voice had told him most of that. But Veran wasn't finished. "The only ones capable of taking the Medallions are the Sages. Obviously, the ancient ones are dead, but their descendants are believed to be alive still. You'll have to track them down, and escort them into the Temples. They can then open the way to the Medallions."

Link gaped at him. In a nation as huge as the Union, it would be nearly impossible to find so few people. Even if each of them was from one of the different races, as legend said they were, finding them was going to be difficult. Extremely difficult. Seeing Link's look, Veran held up his hands. "We've already found the Forest Sage, Hero. She is a Kokiri I'm sure you know. She even bears the same name as the ancient Sage." He gestured to the small group of Kokiri, and Saria stepped forward. "Saria, Sage of the Forest. Will you accompany Link to the Forest Temple, and help him acquire the Forest Medallion, as is your duty to the Goddesses?"

Saria nodded solemnly. Then she threw Link a quick grin, looking much more like herself. She was all ready for travel, with a backpack and boots. She had a small handgun in a holster at her waist. Link would have rather had a gun than a sword any day, but no one offered him one. Sheik donned a brace of knives, and two handguns. After Link and Sheik were given backpacks, Veran and the others wished them good luck, and Sheik led the way through a hidden door, out into the city.

* * *

The trip to Kokiri Forest was harrowing. But after a mishap on a bus, two stolen cars and a hijacked train, (don't ask) They stood before the entrance to Kokiri Forest. Saria had been born here, and she mentioned that it had been very difficult for her to leave. Now she was coming home, and she didn't look happy about it.

Smoke rose from the city, entire burgs had burned down. They passed a cafe, and heard people talking about the death toll, which numbered in the hundreds. They made their way towards the Lost Woods, where many of the Kokiri children went to play. Most regular people couldn't enter, but Sheik and Link managed just fine. Sheik explained that the Master Sword protected Link, and the Sheikah were naturally immune to many curses.

They entered the Woods, and only Saria's guidance kept them from being hopelessly lost in the first five minutes. But before long, they arrived at a large wall, impossible to climb. Except for Sheik. He ran at the wall, and with easy grace, had run right up it. He perched on top, and looked down on the other side. He looked back, and placed a finger to his lips. Link and Saria nodded, and the Sheikah took a rope from his pack. He lowered it and the other two climbed up to join him. Link looked down, and stifled a gasp.

Marching along right below them was a hulking brute. It wore armor, and carried a huge spear. Its eyes were red, and swept the ground in front of it attentively. Saria nudged Link and pointed. As he looked up, it dawned on him. Behind the gated wall, there were more walls, sectioning the courtyard like a giant maze. The next wall was only two yards or so away. Sheik noticed this as well, and took a short running leap. He landed easily on the next wall, and smiled. They'd be able to jump all the way to the end of the maze! He could see the Temple up ahead, a massive stone structure that looked like an old mansion.

They jumped from wall to wall, never alerting the monsters below to their presence. They never looked up. At last, the three of them got to a narrow gap, with a stairway leading up towards the manor. They waited until the patrolling Moblin went by, then dropped into the maze. Without pause, they ran up the staircase.

Link almost relaxed, thinking they were out of danger. Then a huge _boom_ shook the ground, and Link looked up to see a massive Moblin, three times as large as those in the maze. It held a giant club, and blocked the only way to get to the temple.

Sheik swore, and in an instant his guns were in his hands. He fired, the sound echoing through the once-Sacred Forest Meadow. The big Moblin didn't so much as flinch, instead raising it's club and charging. Saria also fired her gun at it, but the bullets didn't penetrate it's thick skin. It didn't slow. And glancing behind them, Link could see the other Moblins crowding the stairway. He made a split second decision.

With quick, easy movements, he drew the Master Sword. The big Moblin faltered, but kept charging. The little ones drew back. Link, oddly feeling no fear in the face of a charging monstrosity, and ran to meet it. It swung it's massive club, and Link sidestepped. The club still sent off a shock-wave that threw Link into the wall.

Saria and Sheik were shooting into the gang of Moblins flocking up the stairs. Their guns worked fine on them, though they weren't very lethal. The giant Moblin turned to them, and Link saw red. He stood up, grabbed the Master Sword, and swung viciously at the back of the Moblin's legs. It gave a fearful bellow, and crumpled. When it hit the ground it burst into green flames, causing Link to jump back in alarm. Then he realized that the way to the Temple was open.

Yelling to Sheik and Saria, he ran for it. They followed close behind, with the young Sheikah warrior covering them with his handguns. Link entered a courtyard, with a broken staircase leading into the Temple. He saw a dead tree leaning against it, maybe the only way up. A wide stone was in the center of the courtyard, almost identical to the one in the middle of the Temple of Time, but with a different symbol.

Link knew that the tree wouldn't help them get into the Temple. He turned. "Sheik! I'll deal with the Moblins! Get Saria inside, then come back for me!" The dark warrior nodded, and let off his defense. Link gripped the Master Sword and went on the attack.

Moblins swarmed at him, but he cut several down in a few moments. They erupted in blue and green flames when they died, like the giant had. But when he turned to block a spear-thrust, another got through and gashed his leg. He hissed in pain, and brought the Sword down on the monster's head. It gave a wail and burst into flames.

Then gunfire sounded, and one of the Moblins to Link's left caught fire. Link quickly looked behind him, and noticed that Sheik was back, firing carefully into the crowd of monsters. Link took advantage of the distraction, and ran for the broken stairs. Sheik paused long enough to lower a rope, then continued firing. Link climbed the rope as fast as he could, panting when he reached the top. He pulled the rope up so that the Moblins couldn't use it.

The monsters roared in outrage, and a few of them threw their spears. The Hero and Sheikah dodged the projectiles, retreating into the dark recesses of the forbidding Forest Temple.


	3. The Forest Temple

**The Forest Temple**

* * *

_Deep in the Lost Woods, beyond the Sacred Forest Meadow, lies the forbidding Forest Temple. Long shrouded in mystery, it's architecture speaking of a manor fallen to ruin. Once believed to be the home of a powerful family, it was then used as a place to worship the Forest. The power of the Forest lies deep within, protected always by a Sage. _

_The Hero of Time once entered the Forest Temple, during the reign of Ganondorf, the King of Evil. He fought the monsters within, and awakened the Forest Sage, who gave him her power. _

_But ever since, the Temple has remained closed, and empty. Or so many thought._

* * *

Immediately after they entered the Temple, a pack of Wolfos attacked them. Sheik tried to shoot them, but their fur was like steel. The bullets did no damage. Link struck at one with the Master Sword, but it blocked it with it's razor sharp claws. Saria also fired her gun, but it did no more damage than Sheik's. Link managed to kill the first, cutting it when it turned it's attention to Sheik. The Sword sliced cleanly through the monster's fur, and it burst into blue-green flames, just like the other creatures had.

Sheik pulled out a knife, and threw another to Saria. The young Sheikah killed another Wolfos, and Saria distracted one while Link killed it. The rest of the pack disappeared into the shadows. Link limped over to the others, a new gash in one leg. Saria had a quartet of scratches on her arm, and the bottom of Sheik's trousers were red with his blood. They bandaged their wounds as best they could, but there wasn't much they could do. They moved on to the next room.

Where an entire nest of huge spiders waited. Sheik tried to shoot them, but as with the Wolfos, the bullets bounced right off. Link waited until the spiders turned, then stabbed them in their soft underbellies. Saria looked at her gun, and said, "Sheik, it looks like our guns won't do us any good in here. This Temple is from another age, maybe only weapons of that age will work. Your knives work, and of course the Master Sword. But the guns are useless here."

Sheik nodded, and handed her a knife from his belt. Prepared, they continued to the next room.

Link stopped in amazement. The room was huge, the largest he'd ever seen. Doors surrounded the room, and in the center, a wooden lift-like thing circled by four torches. Each torch burned a different color. One was regular orange, while the other three were green, blue and purple. The elevator thing looked to be in working order, and something hummed in the air, like a power source for it.

A figure floated above the lift, muttering to itself. It was obviously a ghost. From the sound of it's voice, Link assumed it was female. "All alone . . . they left poor Meg . . . all alone for so long . . . poor Meg . . . even the Master . . . ." She stopped, and turned slowly to face the trio. She let out a shriek. "Intruders! Intruders in the home of my sisters and I! You shall not leave this place!" She swelled in size until she was several feet taller than Link, and waved her ethereal arms. The torches went out, and their fire swarmed to cover her body.

Then Meg eyed them with her strange purplish eyes. "Slaves of the Master! Serve me, and _destroy the Hero!_" Shadows appeared, and from them stepped soldiers. But the soldiers were already dead, just bones now. Still, they swung their swords eagerly, and hefted shields. Meg floated away, through the left wall.

"Go after her! I'll slow them down!" Sheik shouted, charging at the skeletons with a knife in each hand and two more on his belt. Saria and Link exchanged a look, then took off after Meg.

The next room was all ladders and ledges. The climbed, Meg's crazed laughter drifting down. They found her in a room at the top, surrounded by skulls that floated in the air, wrapped in blue flames. Link noticed that the blue flames once covering Meg's body were gone. _She must have used the fire to make these things._

The skulls flew at them, screaming. Link slashed two of them out of the air at once, and Saria stabbed another. Meg retreated, through the wall ahead of them. Before they could lose her, Link charged forward, through the door.

And into the most intimidating hallway he'd ever seen. It had a red carpet running down the middle of the floor, but about halfway along, the entire corridor twisted, until the floor was on the wall, and the wall was the ceiling. Link didn't stop to marvel, but ran on ahead. Gravity seemed to shift, and his feet stayed on the carpet. Saria ran with him, her breathing pitched with fright. Meg floated through another wall ahead, and they gave chase.

The chased Meg through several rooms, until they wound up back in the great room. Sheik and the undead warriors were nowhere to be seen, but the sounds of a fight echoed through the Temple.

Meg glowed with rage. She raised her arms, likely to summon more help, but Link darted forward and slashed at her. She screeched, and the orange fire died. She pointed at Link, and flames roared, blasting him off his feet. The ghost crowed in victory, and surged forward to finish him off.

Saria's knife flew, passing through Meg. The green fire died, and Meg screamed in fury. She turned mid-flight and made for Saria. Link, knowing he couldn't reach Saria in time, threw the Master Sword. It was a gamble, and if he missed, they were lost. But to his surprise, the Sword flew true, as if he possessed skills like none he'd ever known. The Blade of Evil's Bane flashed, sinking to the hilt into Meg's back. The ghost went absolutely still, then slowly turned, the point of the Sword sticking grotesquely out of her chest. "You have won this time, Hero. But the Master will destroy you, and I will laugh over your cold, lifeless corpse!" And with that, she erupted into purple flames, which died almost instantly.

For a few moments, the hall was still. Then the four torches burst to life, their multicolored lights illuminating Sheik as he made his way over. He looked the worse for wear, his clothes shredded and bloodied. His knives were gone, but he had one of the skeleton's swords. He nodded to them, just as the elevator rose out of the floor, waiting to take them down. Link picked up the Master Sword, and then they got on, and the lift took them deeper into the Forest Temple.

* * *

"This can't be right!" Sheik was yelling. He stormed around the room, staring accusingly up at the paintings that ringed the room. All of them were identical, a lonely road leading to a dark castle. A spiraling staircase led from the door to the top of the platform they now stood on. "The Medallion should be here! This is the Sage's Chamber!"

Link shrugged, and Saria walked around, staring at the paintings. Link was about to join her, but then he felt a pain in his head, just as Saria cried out. A voice sounded in Link's mind, a strong female voice. Saria jerked like she'd been stabbed.

_You stand in the Chamber of the Forest Sage, where the Hero of Time defeated a great foe. But there is another chamber, below this one, where the true power of the Forest rests, placed there by the Goddesses. Only the Sage can open the way."_ The voice faded, leaving only a sense of courage behind.

Saria stood tall. "That's it! I can feel something, and I heard a voice. There's another room below us, and that room has the Medallion in it! I think I can open it. Stand on the stairs." They did as she said, and she stood in the middle of the platform, arms raised to the ceiling. "Goddesses of Hyrule, I, Saria, Sage of the Forest, open the way to the Chamber of the Goddesses."

The entire room shook, and the edges of the platform fell away. Link and Sheik shielded their eyes, and when they looked again, a long spiraling stair led down, deep under the Chamber of the Forest Sage. Saria looked over at them, from atop a pillar in the center of the room. "Go on ahead. The Sage shouldn't go any further. I'll be waiting for you to come back."

The boys nodded, and started down the stairs. Soon Saria was lost from view, and they turned onto a broader stairway. It ended after a few hundred yards, where it broadened into a long hallway. At the end, an archway led to another room, a large Triforce symbol over it. Link and Sheik walked down the hallway, amazed at the artwork on the walls. They depicted the Goddesses descending on Hyrule, giving it shape and law, and creating it's inhabitants.

At the end of the hallway, they entered the Chamber of the Goddesses.

It was grand, with pillars holding up the ceiling and golden murals on the walls. An alter stood against the opposite wall, and the Forest Medallion rested on a velvet cloth.

The only problem was the spectral figure standing between them and the Medallion. It was vaguely man-shaped, but they didn't know what it was. Male or female. Human or Hylian. They couldn't know.

Then it coalesced into the shape of a woman, her long blonde hair falling to the floor. She wore a simple top that barely kept all of her in, and a gossamer-like skirt. She smiled at the two of them, and diaphanous wings sprouted from her back. They glowed softly, as did her skin and her lovely blue eyes. "Hero. It's been quite some time, hasn't it? You probably don't even remember me." She raised a hand to her throat as she laughed. "I am the Great Fairy. Long ago, when there were many more of my little sisters in this land, they served me as their Queen."

Sheik reverently knelt, but when Link tried to follow his example, the Queen stopped him. "No, Hero. You do not pay homage to me. Many times you saved my handmaidens from misfortune and disaster. We are forever in your debt. I have come to prove this to you." She smiled. "You found this Medallion unguarded, but do not expect the others to be. Our enemy is weak still, and others serve him, but he will be aware of you by now. His minions will move to protect the other Medallions, to keep them from you. They cannot use them, only those chosen by the Goddesses can. The Medallions contain great power, which you will need on your quest. The Forest Medallion can transport you anywhere you have been. Take it and use it wisely."

The Fairy Queen glanced at Sheik, then back to Link. "I will give this to you, as it was given to me by one of your predecessors." She held out an ordinary backpack, but when Link looked inside, it was like looking into a closet. There was almost room for a person inside the bag, but the Fairy Queen quickly explained, "This bag was once carried by the Hero of Time. It can hold any object, so long as it's not larger than the mouth of the bag. The Hero used it to carry his weapons and equipment."

Link nodded in thanks, a little overwhelmed. Sheik bowed one last time, and the Fairy Queen vanished in a shower of sparks. Link walked over to the alter, and took the Medallion. He felt a subtle power in it, and it was warm to the touch.

The two of them left the chamber, climbing the stairs back to the Sage's Chamber. Saria was standing in the center, but she was now hiding something behind her back. "Hey, Link? You know, I'm supposed to stay in this Temple. As the Sage, it's my duty to protect it. But I found something that might help you." She held out the object.

It was a bow. A short bow, but it looked very strong. There was a quiver of arrows with it, all tipped with steel and razor sharp. Saria explained, "I think this was the bow of the Hero of Time. Take it with you, you might need it." Link took the bow, amazed at how light it was. Sheik examined it closely, and nodded in satisfaction. "It's certainly old. If it is the Hero's Bow, then it's probably a formidable weapon."

Link nodded, holding it in his right hand. He felt more secure when he used his left hand, though he'd always been right handed. Sheik nodded to Saria, who gave him a hug, then the Sheikah walked back up the passage to the Temple's entrance. Link gave Saria a quick hug, then followed. They would see her again, he was sure.

The two warriors got on the lift, and it carried them up into the main part of the Temple.

But when they got to the top, Link took a step back in shock. The main room was full of people, all of them holding guns. And all of those guns pointing directly at Link and Sheik. A rather short person wearing a blacked out riot-police helmet raised his gun and took a step forward. "Hands where we can see them. The two of you are under arrest for treason against the Union of Society."

Link glanced at Sheik, who looked back at him, a resigned look on his face. Then Link remembered the Medallion.

Trying to look inconspicuous about it. The helmeted leader of the gunmen focused on him instantly. "Stop!"

Link brought out the Medallion just as the gunmen opened fire. The bullets never connected, because as the Medallion touched Link's fingers, brilliant green light flared all around them, blinding the gunmen and their leader for a few seconds. When they were able to see, the two warriors were gone.

* * *

**A/N: Another chapter down. This one was very difficult to write. I actually had to write it twice when the first copy became corrupted. . But anyway, here's chapter three! Enjoy, and remember creativity requires help sometimes. Reviews, therefor, are most welcome. ^_^ **


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